TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A group of 'pro-Jokowi volunteers' commonly known as Projo, expressed their concern over two of President Jokowi’s state ministers who were arrested over corruption cases in a press release on Thursday, December 17, 2020. The group also encouraged the president to conduct a cabinet reshuffle.

The state ministers who were recently arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over graft cases were Edhy Prabowo, former Maritime and Fisheries Minister, and Juliari Batubara, former Social Minister who alleged for Covid-19 pandemic social assistance program fund corruption.

Projo believed that it is important for the President to pick those who are loyal and will not be deterred by the upcoming presidential election in 2024.

"Choose state ministers who are loyal until the end. Not just people who look right and left for opportunities in 2024," wrote Projo Treasurer Panel Barus on Thursday, December 17, 2020.

Following the two former state ministers' arrest, President Jokowi has not shown signals that he would conduct a Cabinet reshuffle and tasked two coordinating ministers to fill in the empty positions left behind by Edhy and Juliari under an 'ad interim' status.

However, numerous sources have suggested that Jokowi will be conducting a reshuffle after the Simultaneous Regional Head Elections (Pilkada 2020) had been completed, which has ended on December 15, 2020.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI